Entertainment Software Association – VG247http://www.vg247.com
VG247.comFri, 09 Dec 2016 21:47:52 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.3Up to 5,000 members of the public will be invited to E3 2015http://www.vg247.com/2015/05/30/e3-2015-public-invites-esa/
http://www.vg247.com/2015/05/30/e3-2015-public-invites-esa/#respondSat, 30 May 2015 15:26:17 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=529831Exhibitors at E3 2015 this year will be able to invite fans to attend the annual trade show which has always been closed to the public.

Speaking with Polygon, Entertainment Software Association (ESA) SVP of consumer and industry affairs Rich Taylor said up to 5,000 members of the public will be able to attend E3 2015 through the trade group’s 31 members.

“This year, for the first time, there will be prosumers in the halls,” said Taylor. “Member exhibitors each have an allotment of some passes that they are permitted to distribute to their valued customers. There was a desire by a number of exhibitors and board members to connect with people directly.

“In this age of vast social media, having some of those voices in the hall to report their reaction and enthusiasm is seen as a big plus.”

Close to 49,000 exhibitors, industry representatives and press members attended E3 2014. The ESA expects the industry number to remain the same with overall attendance up by 10% once the invitees are factored in.

E3 2015 runs June 16-18, but publishers Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft and Sony kick things off the day before with annual press conferences.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2015/05/30/e3-2015-public-invites-esa/feed/0ESA Fellowship seeks games for change from young developers of colourhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/22/esa-fellowship-seeks-games-for-change-from-young-developers-of-colour/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/22/esa-fellowship-seeks-games-for-change-from-young-developers-of-colour/#commentsThu, 22 Aug 2013 05:20:38 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=401107The Entertainment Software Association in partnership with several organisations has launched an initiative called the ESA Loft Video Game Innovation Fellowship. The fellowship will award a grant to 20 young people of colour aged six to 24, who submit a game or game idea which qualities such as “vision, creativity, and potential impact on their community” that “positively addresses a social or civic issues through technology they are comfortable with”. Winners will present their ideas to policy makers in Washington. Applications are open until October 1, and Gamasutra has more details.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/22/esa-fellowship-seeks-games-for-change-from-young-developers-of-colour/feed/1The ESA somehow spends more cash lobbying the US government than the NRA does — at least officiallyhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/07/17/the-esa-somehow-spends-more-cash-lobbying-the-us-government-than-the-nra-does-at-least-officially/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/17/the-esa-somehow-spends-more-cash-lobbying-the-us-government-than-the-nra-does-at-least-officially/#respondWed, 17 Jul 2013 02:47:56 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=388976Despite the fact that gun debates within the US government basically don’t happen while it took the Supreme Court to decide that the creation of video games is protected by the freedom of expression, the Entertainment Software Association managed to beat the National Rifle Association in lobbying bills last year, $4.8 million to $3 million, notes GamesIndustry International. The why of this is inside.

“You can report everything you do as lobbying, but the requirement to do so is much more limited,” said head of the Independent Firearm Owners Association Richard J. Feldman. “If you send money or have a flier urging support of, say, Senate Bill 25, it’s lobbying. If you send fliers talking about the issue but not the specific bill, it’s not lobbying… So I might think I’m lobbying. You might think I’m lobbying. But I’m not required to report it unless I’m lobbying for specific legislation.”

Meanwhile, the NRA does of course wildly outspend the ESA in political contributions and political marketing, or outside spending, the latter of which the ESA does none. GI has a massive feature on the NRA vs. the ESA, and it’s all ridiculously informative, so you should give it a read here.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/17/the-esa-somehow-spends-more-cash-lobbying-the-us-government-than-the-nra-does-at-least-officially/feed/0More US gamers use PCs than smartphones or tabletshttp://www.vg247.com/2013/07/16/more-us-gamers-use-pcs-than-smartphones-or-tablets/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/16/more-us-gamers-use-pcs-than-smartphones-or-tablets/#commentsTue, 16 Jul 2013 03:05:22 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=388541Significantly more polled US households report using PCs for games than smartphones or wireless devices.

DualShockers pulled this interesting comparison out of the ESA’s Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry 2013.

According to the ESA’s data, 68% of gaming happens on consoles; 63% on PC; 43% on smartphones; 37% on handheld consoles; and 30% on wireless devices, which presumably includes tablets.

Although adding smartphones and wireless devices together produces the largest category, it’s interesting to note that the PC, a multi-function device, is so close behind dedicated games consoles.

What makes this particularly timely is that VentureBeat declared the PC dead again last week following a drop in global shipments.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/16/more-us-gamers-use-pcs-than-smartphones-or-tablets/feed/34ESA adds Activision Blizzard and Tencent as membershttp://www.vg247.com/2013/07/08/esa-adds-activision-blizzard-and-tencent-as-members/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/08/esa-adds-activision-blizzard-and-tencent-as-members/#respondMon, 08 Jul 2013 15:21:28 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=386123The Entertainment Software Association has announced that Activision Blizzard and Tencent have joined its trading body, bringing the total number of memberships to 37.

Members of the ESA get access to services which include legal and policy analysis, First Amendment advocacy, and access to both business and consumer research among other things.

Activision Blizzard’s chief legal officer Chris Walther had this to say, “We are excited to join ESA, it has a long track record of supporting it’s members and the video game industry, and we look forward to sharing our unique perspective and experience with them.”

“ESA supports and cultivates collaboration among member companies,” said the director of business development and industry relations of Tencent, Gordon Bellamy. “We are excited to join an association that promotes the development of the U.S game industry as we are exploring more opportunities in this market,” he added.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/08/esa-adds-activision-blizzard-and-tencent-as-members/feed/0ESA report: 58% of US’ers are gamers, 31% are ladies, parents taking more interesthttp://www.vg247.com/2013/06/12/esa-report-58-of-users-are-gamers-31-are-ladies-parents-taking-more-interest/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/12/esa-report-58-of-users-are-gamers-31-are-ladies-parents-taking-more-interest/#commentsWed, 12 Jun 2013 00:44:27 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=377672The ESA has released a report which states that 31% of video game players are adult women, and 17 year old boys make up only 19%. This makes women 45% of the entire game playing population and 46% of the time they are the most frequent game purchasers.

“This new data underscores the remarkable upward trajectory for video games. It is an entertainment form enjoyed by hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA. “A diverse and energized consumer base, remarkable new hardware, and outstanding software all combine to foster growth for our industry.”

According to the 2013 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry report, parents are also taking an active interest in what their kids are playing: 89% of the time they are present when a child is playing and provide permission before purchasing or renting a game 80% of the time.

Over a third play games with their kids once a week, and almost 90% feel the ESRB rating system is either “very or somewhat helpful” in choosing games for their kids. Another 86% said parental controls available consoles are useful – a figure which is up from 73% in 2012.

58% of Americans play video games
51% of U.S. households own a dedicated game console, with on average two games owned
36% of gamers are 36 years old or older with the average age at 30
43% feel computer and video games give them the most value for their money compared to other entertainment
62% play games with others in-person or online
$21 billion was spent on game content, hardware, and accessories in 2012

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/12/esa-report-58-of-users-are-gamers-31-are-ladies-parents-taking-more-interest/feed/5Winning entries for the 2013 Into the Pixel collection announcedhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/06/04/winning-entries-for-the-2013-into-the-pixel-collection-announced/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/04/winning-entries-for-the-2013-into-the-pixel-collection-announced/#commentsTue, 04 Jun 2013 13:03:13 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=373357The AIAS along with the ESA has announced 16 pieces of gaming art which will included in the 2013 Into the Pixel collection. The 10th annual exhibition will be shown during E3 next week.

Here’s a list of works chosen to be included in the collection for 2013:

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/06/04/winning-entries-for-the-2013-into-the-pixel-collection-announced/feed/2E3 remains “extraordinarily relevant, vital to the industry,” says ESAhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/05/15/e3-remains-extraordinarily-relevant-vital-to-the-industry-says-esa/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/05/15/e3-remains-extraordinarily-relevant-vital-to-the-industry-says-esa/#commentsWed, 15 May 2013 14:41:25 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=367019Every year when E3 is announced, the subject of whether it is still relevant or not seems to come up. This year is no different, and according to Entertainment Software Association senior vice president of communications Rich Taylor, the event is relevant enough to be slated for the Los Angeles Convention Center through 2016.

Speaking with GI International, Taylor said he has been with the ESA for six years now, and the topic of relevancy is always broached by various sectors.

“I think the show answers the question itself both through the level of attendance and participation, from the news that comes out of it, and it remains extraordinarily… not just relevant, but vital to the industry, and vital to those who want to share news through the billions of impressions that come out of it,” he said.

“Right now, the overwhelming finding is where we are now is a really positive sweet spot. I think people really are fairly thrilled about what we have now and the model we have now, the size we have now, the timing we have now. That seems to be where the model will sit for the foreseeable future.

Taylor said the ESA is keeping up with changing industry trends, and E3 2013 will feature an Online Mobile Gaming Pavilion in order for the devices to have room to shine in a sea of PC, console, and core gaming experiences.

E3 2013 takes rune June 11-13.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/05/15/e3-remains-extraordinarily-relevant-vital-to-the-industry-says-esa/feed/7ESA Nite to Unite raised over $800K for ten worthy causeshttp://www.vg247.com/2012/10/29/esa-nite-to-unite-raised-over-800k-for-ten-worthy-causes/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/29/esa-nite-to-unite-raised-over-800k-for-ten-worthy-causes/#respondMon, 29 Oct 2012 23:34:36 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=311202The Entertainment Software Association raised $822,000 at its Nite to Unite event this year, Destructoid reports. The annual black tie charity gala is in its 15th year and has raised over $12 million since launch. Beneficiaries for 2013 include the Federation of American Scientists, Parents’ Choice Foundation, Smithsonian American Art Museum and ThanksUSA. The event is mainly attended by industry insiders; Gabe Newell was inducted into its honouree ranks this year.
]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/29/esa-nite-to-unite-raised-over-800k-for-ten-worthy-causes/feed/0ESA releases annual report: 49% of American households own consoles, $25 billion spent on gaming last yearhttp://www.vg247.com/2012/06/06/esa-releases-annual-report-49-of-american-households-own-consoles-25-billion-spent-on-gaming-last-year/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/06/06/esa-releases-annual-report-49-of-american-households-own-consoles-25-billion-spent-on-gaming-last-year/#respondWed, 06 Jun 2012 07:52:17 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=267026The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has released its “2012 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry” report, calling the industry “one of the strongest and most cutting-edge sectors in the American economy”.

Released at the opening of E3 this week, the report states that 49% of all American households play games of some form, with the number of people using smartphones and wireless device for gaming on the rise. Smartphone gaming is reportedly up from 20% last year to 30% this year, while gaming on wireless devices has increased from 13% to 25%.

For households that own a game console, PC, smartphone, handheld system or wireless device, those some figures are even higher. Nearly 40% reported using their smartphone for gaming, while 26% stated that they used wireless devices for gaming purposes.

The report, which is based on survey data collected from more than “2,000 nationally representative households” during the spring of 2012, states that 49% of American households own a dedicated videogame console, with an average of two consoles per gaming household.

The report also claims that the average age of a gamer now sits at 30 years old, with 37% of all gamers over the age of 36.

The results speak highly of the influence of the ESRB rating system, with 98% of all parents surveyed stating the system is “very” or “somewhat” helpful in selecting games for their children. Further, 73% are said to believe that the optional parental controls contained within gaming consoles are useful. 66% of parents claimed that games were a means of providing positive mental stimulation for their children. 40% of parents stated that they played videogames with their children at least once a week.

33% of gamers said that they play social games and 62% play games with others in-person or online, with 15% choosing to pay to play online games. In comparison to other forms of media, 40% of gamers stated that gaming was the best value for money.

Finally, the report states that nearly $25 billion was spent on game content, hardware and accessories by consumers in 2011.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2012/06/06/esa-releases-annual-report-49-of-american-households-own-consoles-25-billion-spent-on-gaming-last-year/feed/0ESA Q3 political spend tops $1.1 millionhttp://www.vg247.com/2011/11/30/esa-q3-political-spend-tops-1-1-million/
http://www.vg247.com/2011/11/30/esa-q3-political-spend-tops-1-1-million/#respondWed, 30 Nov 2011 02:11:42 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=218849US-based industry trade body the Entertainment Software Association spent $1.1 million lobbying during the last quarter, according to Yahoo Finance; that’s right on par with its usual spend. Issues the association tackled this past quarter include piracy, copyright, foreign trade policy reform and visas for the temporary hire of skilled foreign workers. The ESA is largely funded by member companies, mostly major publishers, and also runs the ESRB.
]]>http://www.vg247.com/2011/11/30/esa-q3-political-spend-tops-1-1-million/feed/0Report – US economy recipient of $5B in 2009 from game industryhttp://www.vg247.com/2010/08/10/report-us-economy-recipient-of-5b-in-2009-from-game-industry/
http://www.vg247.com/2010/08/10/report-us-economy-recipient-of-5b-in-2009-from-game-industry/#commentsTue, 10 Aug 2010 16:32:37 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=111335

A study conducted on behalf of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), has found the US economy was the lucky recipient of $5 billion in 2009 thanks to the gaming industry.

Released today, the study – titled Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2010 Report – was compiled by Economists Incorporated which found the industry’s annual growth rate exceeded 10 percent. When compared to the US economy’s growth as a whole, it’s seven times more.

“Despite a challenging economic environment, the entertainment software industry continues to grow and create new jobs at a rapid pace,” said ESA president Michael Gallagher.

“Computer and videogame companies have made an important contribution to our nation’s economy while stimulating technological innovations and expanding the impact of games on our daily lives.

“As the findings of this report suggest, the entertainment software industry is well positioned to sustain these economic and social contributions well into the future.”

The report also states the US gaming industry employs over 32K people, and the sector’s employment increased around 9 percent annually since 2005 with the average salary standing at $89,781.

Discussions include how to best “provide safe spaces for LGBT people online”, “how to ensure the best policies are in place to prevent virtual attacks against LGBT people” and “how to educate the users of online communities about the effects of homophobia.”

The event is being held at EA’s Redwood Studios from 11am-1pm and is open to the public.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2009/06/03/esa-our-best-brightest-and-boldest-days-lie-ahead/feed/0ESA’s head of government relations leaves after one monthhttp://www.vg247.com/2009/04/24/esas-head-of-government-relations-leaves-after-one-month/
http://www.vg247.com/2009/04/24/esas-head-of-government-relations-leaves-after-one-month/#commentsFri, 24 Apr 2009 15:51:23 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=32107According to a report on Gamasutra, the Entertainment Software Association’s head of government relations, Jennifer Manner, has left her position with the group after just one month.

A former FCC senior counsel member, Manner was hired because of her experience with public policy, broadband, and federal tech issues while working for the FCC.

No specifics were given regarding her departure, but it is believed it was due to her lack of lobbying experience on Capitol Hill.

505 Games has joined the Entertainment Software Association becoming the “third new member of the ESA to join this year, together with Natsume and Southpeak bringing the organization’s roster up to 23 companies,” so says Kotaku.

“505 Games joins a diverse group of entertainment software companies all working toward the same goals,” said ESA CEO Michael D. Gallagher in the official announcement.

“We are glad we can add 505 Games’ creativity and ideas to the ESA’s efforts to promote the computer and video game industry.”

More through the link.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2009/03/26/505-games-joins-the-esa/feed/3California pays ESA $280,000http://www.vg247.com/2008/08/05/california-pays-esa-280000/
http://www.vg247.com/2008/08/05/california-pays-esa-280000/#respondTue, 05 Aug 2008 20:34:25 +0000http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/08/05/california-pays-esa-280000/California has had to pay ESA $280k in legal fees after the state lost a court case that would have criminalised the sale of 18-rated games in the region.

This isn’t the first time the ESA has be awarded legal costs in the same situation. In fact, according to Gamespot, “Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota have all been ordered to reimburse the group’s legal fees in recent years, with the Land of Lincoln being hit for $500,000.”

It’s almost as though trying to legislate against the gaming industry with frivolous, unnecessary law suits is a complete waste of time and money.